Friday, April 20, 2012

April Platform Challenge: Day 20

For today's task, I want you to create an editorial calendar for blog (or website). Before you start to panic, read on.

If you don't like spreadsheets, use paper to plot your calendar.

First, here's how I define an editorial calendar: A list of content with dates attached to when the content goes live. For instance, I created an editorial calendar specifically for this April Platform Challenge and "April Platform Challenge: Day 20" was scheduled to go live on April 20 (fingers crossed I can finish this post).

It's really simple. In fact, I keep track of my editorial calendar with a paper notebook, which gives me plenty of space for crossing things out, jotting down ideas, and attaching Post-It notes.

Here are tips for different blogging frequencies:

Post once per week. If you post once a week, pick a day of the week for that post to happen each week. Then, write down the date for each post. Beside each date, write down ideas for that post ahead of time. There will be times when the ideas are humming and you get ahead on your schedule, but there may also be times when the ideas are slow. So don't wait, write down ideas as they come.

Post more than once per week. Try identifying which days you'll usually post (for some, that may be daily). Then, for each of those days, think of a theme for that day. For instance, my 2012 schedule offers Life Changing Moments on Wednesdays and Poetic Saturdays on, umm, Saturdays.

You can always change plans and move posts to different days, but the editorial calendar is an effective way to set very clear goals with deadlines for accomplishing them. Having that kind of structure will improve your content--even if your blog is personal, fictional, poetic, etc. Believe me, I used to be a skeptic before diving in, and the results on MNINB speak for themselves.

One more benefit of editorial calendars
There are times when I feel less than inspired. There are times when life throws me several elbows as if trying to prevent me from blogging. That's when I am the most thankful for maintaining an editorial calendar, because I don't have to think of a new idea on the spot; it's already there in my editorial calendar.

Plus, as I said earlier, you can always change plans. While I always knew "April Platform Challenge: Day 20" was going to happen today, I originally had a different task assigned to this day. I altered the plan to accommodate the challenge. So I don't want to hear that an editorial calendar limits spontaneity or inspiration; if anything, having an editorial calendar enhances it.

One last thing on today's assignment
Don't stress yourself out that you have to create a complete editorial calendar for the year or even the month. I just want you to take some time out today to think about it, sketch some ideas, and get the ball rolling. I'm 100% confident that you'll be glad you did.

*****

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87 comments:

Done. In fact, lately (don't know why), I'm pretty far ahead of schedule. Generally, I have the post for the next day ready to go, but lately I've had almost two weeks of posts ready (I post daily).

I only recently learned I can schedule the posts to be published at a specific date and time. Prior to that, I was cutting content out of the scheduled post, and pasting it into a new post. Learning about scheduling the posts was a lifesaver for me!

In a sense I use this method already for Misk Cooks because I often write up post in advance and schedule them for release when I know I've a heavy week (or month) ahead of me. I will however start nailing specific thoughts to dates in my diary, giving myself some lag time to think it through. :)

Wordpress Editorial Calendar is an awesome plugin I've been using for months now. It allows you to view your blog (on the Admin -- Posts panel) as a calendar to add posts, move them around w/ drag and drop. It's a convenient way, at a glance, to manage your content by week or by month.

Done! Coming from print a media background having an editorial calendar is a way of life, but I also did this as part of an assignment for a Writer's Digest online workshop, "Blogging 101." Thanks, Robert. This challenge has helped me rethink a reorganize.

Thanks for today's challenge. This kind of concrete organization is helping me to gain more momentum with my blogging. I also like the idea of themes for certain days. I notice that is one of the things I like about some of the blogs I follow - having certain structured themes gives the articles a sense of rhythm. I began a theme of Living with Books a month ago, although it does not yet have a rhythm. I also want to start adding a post each week that lists the best reads I found on the web that week, although I haven't decided which day to run it. One limitation I've found with my current Wordpress format is I want the ability to have blogs post to different pages -- so I could have a page for fiction-related posts, or one that just accumulates recommended reading related posts. Maybe I'd need to upgrade to a different kind of site to do that?

I've been doing this for several months now. In fact, I was getting too "locked in" to my calendar, and am now pulling back a bit to allow for spontaneity! (I started doing monthly themes, and weekly themes, and planning everything down to the last t crossed and the last i dotted. That was a bit much.)

Thanks, Lauren for telling us about that plugin! Wordpress Editorial Calendar sounds great!

Love this idea! I went through piles of information just yesterday to determine one of my blogs needs to drop to weekly and the other needs to increase to 2 or 3 times weekly.Now I can schedule them according to theme. Yay!

I started this a couple weeks before the challenge and I have it put with my idea notebook that I always take with me when I go places I have ideas all the way up through July and always looking to extend it out.

I think the best way for me to approach an editorial calendar for my blog, which features several distinct but widely divergent subject areas, is to take each area and assign it a regularly scheduled posting date. Thus my basic outline is as follows:

CURRENT TOPICS:- the history of space exploration (also the subject of my monthly web video series);- baseball (also the subject of my recent video documentary, and my current non-fiction book project);- music;- encounters with nature, spirituality, and literary criticism and reflection.

POST DATES:First full week of the month:1. Space (to coincide with posting of video)2. Baseball

Second week:1. Fiction2. Drama

Third week:1. Baseball2. Nature +

Fourth week:1. Fiction2. Music

This would allow me to focus more on those topics that are at the heart of my 'big' projects (the ms for my non-fiction book and my novel), while still generating a fair amount of content related to the other aspects of my work.

I have to admit that this schedule really seems a bit ambitious, considering everything else that I do in my life (including writing, research, video production, market research, etc.), but it does at least provide a good structure for me to work with as I try to post more content more often.

Donna, I'm on Blogger, which just changed its format (as of today). Used to be, when I was writing a post, at the bottom of the page there was "post options", and if you clicked on that, you could set date and time for publication of the post. With the new format, there's a sidebar next to where you're typing in new post, and one of the tabs is "Post setting". If you click that, you can then click "schedule" and then choose either "auto" or "set date and time". Hth....

I spent too many years driven by my 9-5 to set a calendar for things I just enjoy in retirement. I did intend to keep the daily challenge on my blog because I wanted so to do. However (I am seldom without a however.), my publisher has requested several things of me and that is far more important to me at this time. Robert (MNINB) is right, however, in keeping a scheduling calendar in pencil. Unless one is involved in a production line with deadlines, it is OK to be somewhat random as long the writer or anyone else does not get hurt, fired, slandered, or embarrassed because of a missed, self imposed deadline.Whoops! I could have made a post in the time it took to make this comment.

Great idea, since I'm trying to get back to posting on a regular basis! It would help to brainstorm ideas in advance. I only post weekly now, but several of you have given me ideas about how I might expand.

I went back yesterday and added a call to action at the end of that post, so that's done.

Also, when I Googled "Gerry Wilson Writer" yesterday, I came up FIRST and with several other references! That's so different from when we started, so the challenge has really worked for me.

Thanks again, Robert!

Here's the blog. Again. (Sorry if I'm bugging you all!)http://bit.ly/HTLROV

Yeah for #20! This will get me back on track. My blog calendar that I started in January worked until Mom passed away mid Feb. Since then, nothing (except trips back and forth to homesite, etc., etc.)

Since my blog is about aging and the sandwich generation, I’d like to write (thoughtfully, not hysterically) about losing one’s parents BUT my writing is (supposed to be) humorous. Can I sneak in a serious topic without losing my voice? Opinions from all solicited.

@Mary I'm no expert but I think you can definitely sneak in a serious post or two without losing your voice. You are human after all, not a machine. As long as your "out of character" posts are few and far between, I would think it might even be a draw, not a disadvantage.

Excellent idea and done! I am never at a loss for ideas; it's fitting them all in that paralyzes me. My focus is the audio podcast interviews I create and wrapping words around it. It' tough to keep the dreaded Paralyzing Perfection Pixie duct-taped to the wall. Often, I feel there is so much to do, it's best to do nothing. I'm working through that myth. To this end, I'm starting something I've been meanjng to for months: Wordless Wednesdays! Yes, sans words, it's a food-related picture (send me one!) that needs no written explanation. I will also be more diligent with my Meatless Mondays.

Done, and right up my alley. I am a list person by nature, and if I see it in writing, I am more likely to get it done. Trying out a weekly schedule for now, then I'll build up if need be. Thanks for yet another great idea!

Today's was already done. I'm a total nerd, always making schedules, calendars, todo systems. It's the doing that stumps me. Like, I have to figure out how to insert links in Wordpress posts so I can complete yesterday's challenge.

Yeah, I really need to get more organized about this. The calendar is a good idea.

I've found that this challenge is eating up all my writing time this month. Mostly, I admit, because I'm not tech. savvy and every one takes me 5 X as long as Robert predicts. I think I'll put all my networking on it - so I'm not trying to do everything every day.

Mary - I think some serious blogs about losing your mom, from someone who usually writes humour, would be deeply moving. You should do it.

Schedules are always a good idea. I have my posting schedule for my critique group. So now I have a posting schedule for my blog, thanks to you. I just need to have a bunch of blogging ideas planned ahead of time to make it work for me...starting May. April, I will be generating ideas for my blog so I'm not too stressed. The important thing about this challenge is knowing what you can handle. :o)

Ugh, this is hard. I am not a planner, but more a seat-of-my-pants kinda gal. I have the ability to do an editorial calendar that will be part of my life more once the Poem-a-day challenge is past. For one thing, I don't know what the topic is until that day. But this is now on my radar and I will start trying to plot in advance and make myself some "tasks" for May.

I have done the last three challenges, in the sense that I have written the material that needs to be used. However, my website/blog is offline right now. I transferred it from WordPress.com to a local hosting service b/c a real web pro is going to redesign it to make it look more professional. When it is back up Monday or Tuesday, I'll put everything in. Sorry I haven't been posting daily, but we've been through a bit of family crisis, which is resolved now (probably).

I have done the last three challenges, in the sense that I have written the material that needs to be used. However, my website/blog is offline right now. I transferred it from WordPress.com to a local hosting service b/c a real web pro is going to redesign it to make it look more professional. When it is back up Monday or Tuesday, I'll put everything in. Sorry I haven't been posting daily, but we've been through a bit of family crisis, which is resolved now (probably).

So excited about this one! Not sure I have it exactly right yet as I'm putting my shorts on my blogger account instead of wordpress, but you inspired me to think of a short post type for days in between my once a week longer blog. And I think they're going to be fun if they catch on - Bolton's Briefs - pictures of my rules to life like Gibbs on NCIS. lol. Already posted to Twitter and everywhere else!

Done...last weekend. This was my first week of trying out the blog's schedule. My only tweak is to add a 6th day: Weekend Wrap-up. I'm thinking some readers might just wait for the weekend to catch up on this kind of readings, while others will pop in during the week. Thanks, Lauren, for the tip. I'll check into that WP plugin!

Ahh! My "Type A" personality loves this! I post on Fridays and usually publish an "improving vocabulary" for the first Friday of each month. These posts do well, so in the fall, when I have more time (ie kid #4 goes to kindergarten), I'll add those as a regular Tuesday post. I currently jot down ideas in a notebook - now I'll just add a little more structure to them (ie, dates).

I am now listing blog ideas for each week in the pocket calendar I use to keep track of writing hours and word counts. My blog feels much more solid, just from having a few ideas on paper. Thank you!Editorial Calendar sounds so intimidating, but it is really helpful.

I am now listing blog ideas for each week in the pocket calendar I use to keep track of writing hours and word counts. My blog feels much more solid, just from having a few ideas on paper. Thank you!Editorial Calendar sounds so intimidating, but it is really helpful.

I just started my blog a few weeks ago not really knowing what I was doing. It was just a "fly by the seat of my pants" idea! This info has been so useful in helping figure out what, how, when, who and so on and so forth. :0) Thank you for the great ideas!!

Done! I was on the verge of splitting my blog into two, one for history and one for books. But with today's challenge, I realized I have so many book events in May (authors, a trip), that my main-history blog would get neglected. So for now I'm going to stick with just one.

Saturdays at a minimum and the other days if I can. Monday: booksWednesday: writing or photos Saturday: history or genealogy.

Susan, I'm going to use your idea and track my novel writing on the same calendar. First thing's first!

Day 20 DONE! When I first starting thinking about the blog I wanted to have 20 posts ready to go so I had "wiggle" room. Well, that didn't happen, but I do blog twice a week (Sunday and Wednesday) and I have a rough outline of ideas.

This challenge helped me dig in and solidify some of the ideas so now I at least have t-7 set topics.

I incorporated blog posts, critique group schedules, reminder to tweet my post the next day, research publishers time, and oh yes actual writing. Then I took a step back and reconfirmed my available slices of time for the actions. Now I need to plan out future topics, but I'm calling this a successful day.

Done. I've actually been trying to make myself do this for a while--I already knew I wanted to start having more focused posts (advice, opportunities, updates, sharing work, etc.) but I've never taken the time to actually plan it out. So now I have a Monday-Friday schedule:

I'm actually trying to tentatively plan out the rest of the year--only because I've had these ideas in my head for a while but when it comes to the day, I tend to forget the ideas I had before. I figure if I plan out a fuller schedule, I have all the ideas there, and if I have a different idea I can swap it out or if I don't have the time to write I at least have content for another day.

Okay, finally completed. I wrote up a post yesterday, scheduled it for release on Saturday morning so it was appropriate to weekend breakfast, and then added your call-to-action hook from Day 19 at the end. Here's the post. I've Cracked It: How to Poach an Egg.

I did this while I was waiting for an oil change -- using calendar on my smart phone but a pad of paper and pencil to make the list. Worked great and I think it will help me post every day for the next 28 -- that's how many lines were on the paper.

okay, i've finally done my plan. I had a different one in january, but then took on too much. Now I'm going to aim for 1 post per week for each blog. And if I can, do more, as inspired. Thanks for the challenge, even if I did it later than the last 2.

I've given this a good start. I tend to write about what I find the day I need to write my post. The few times I have done series I have loved it. Perhaps I can plan more series using my editorial calendar. Thanks.

Done. I just jotted down the next 5 weeks of blog posts. I usually post on Sundays, but maybe I'll try writing more and posting twice a week in the future. Each of my posts has photos that I take, so I like to think of subjects that have a visual impact as well as a verbal one.

I had been putting this one off, feeling like it was going to be a daunting task, but like most things that feel so big, once I dove in...it wasn't bad at all. And now I have a whole month's worth of blog ideas. I also made sure to indicate on which day I should reset the goal to create the next month's calendar. Yay...done, done, done. :)

Done! I put the sprdsht together in Excel last November. I've used it sporadically since. Just last week I decided on 2 blog posts a week (Monday & Friday) and aim to stick to themes for each day. I like your idea, Robert, to keep notes of ideas for posts, not necessarily complete them. When I get 2 weekly postings under my belt, I'll think of increasing them. Thanks for this push.

For the literature blog, I've set up ideas to cover posting twice a week for the next four weeks.

For the Presence blog, I've set up themes (I'm not committing to them yet, but I'm planning to try it out next week anyway), for three postings per week. That might be Monday, Wednesday, Friday. In my notebook, I've written this little theme schedule:

The lesson from life theme is a new idea for me to try. Previously, the blog has been mostly prayers, thoughts, scriptures, devotions. Since the lesson from life theme is new for me, under the list I made another category, "Ideas for Friday," which I will hopefully fill in with a few ideas during the week leading up to it. I'm wanting it to be based on an event from which I learned such and such, where I would even share (eeeeek!) some narration/description of the event.